Luverne junior left fielder Jesse Kuhlman (right) has a word with Cardinal coach Mike Wenninger during Tuesday's baseball game against Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at Redbird Field. The Cards erased a pair of deficits to win their home opener.
By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne baseball team broke into the win column for the first time during the second week of the 2002 season.
The Cardinals traveled to Pipestone for a Southwest Conference double-header Saturday. LHS posted a one-run win in the opener and was awarded a sweep of the twin bill when the second game was rained out.
Luverne opened the home portion of its schedule by nipping Tracy-Milroy-Balaton by one run Tuesday.
The 3-1 LHS team will play an SWC set in Jackson Saturday.
Luverne 5, T-M-B 4
The Cardinals came from behind twice to win their home opener against the Panthers Tuesday.
Luverne faced 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in the game before putting together a three-run sixth inning to help settle the issue.
T-M-B had moved in front 3-2 by scoring one run in the top of the sixth before the Cards scored three times in the bottom of the frame to take their first lead at 5-3.
Jake Studer walked to start the rally before Kyle Kreun delivered a two-run homer to left field. Luke Iveland was hit by a pitch, stole second and third and scored the third run of the inning when Eric Edstrom singled.
Edstrom, Luverne's starting and winning pitcher, recorded a pair of quick outs before being touched for a run in the top of the seventh. Iveland replaced Edstrom and fanned the last T-M-B batter to lock up a save.
T-M-B scored twice in the second inning.
Luverne tied the game at two in the fourth, when Aaron Schmidt singled and Studer walked. Both runners scored on T-M-B fielding errors.
Edstrom yielded seven hits and fanned seven batters during six and two-thirds innings of work on the mound.
Box score AB R H BI
Iveland 3 1 1 0
Edstrom 2 0 1 1
Sandbulte 4 0 2 0
Goebel 3 0 0 0
Schmidt 3 1 2 0
Studer 0 2 0 0
Kuhlman 2 0 0 0
Kreun 2 1 1 2
Crable 3 0 0 0
Luverne 5, P-J 4
The Cardinals posted their first win of the season when they traveled to Pipestone for an SWC double-header Saturday.
A late rally in the opener gave the Cards a one-run victory, and they were awarded a 1-0 win in the finale when rain and lightning forced cancellation of the contest before it started.
LHS needed a two-run rally in the seventh inning to win the opener.
P-J snapped a tie at three by scoring one run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Cards countered with a two-run top-of-the-seventh before blanking the Arrows in the bottom of the frame to steal the victory.
A double by Kyle Crable, a bunt single by Luke Iveland and Eric Edstrom being hit by a pitch loaded the bases for LHS in the seventh. Sacrifice flies by Tony Sandbulte and Aaron Schmidt produced the tying and winning runs.
Luverne opened a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Schmidt walked and scored on a ground out by Kyle Kreun, and Jake Studer got hit by a pitch before scoring on a single by Crable.
P-J moved in front 3-2 in the second inning, but Iveland was hit by a pitch, stole second and knotted the score at three when Ryan Goebel slapped an RBI single.
Iveland fanned three batters without allowing a hit while pitching two innings of scoreless relief to pick up the pitching win for LHS. Kreun worked the first five innings of the game, allowing four hits, four walks and four runs while fanning two batters.
Box score AB R H BI
Iveland 3 2 1 0
Edstrom 3 0 0 0
Sandbulte 2 0 0 1
Goebel 3 0 1 1
Schmidt 1 1 0 1
Studer 2 1 0 0
Kuhlman 2 1 0 0
Kreun 3 0 1 1
Crable 3 1 2 1